Edmund l



(No Model.)

E. L. ZALINSKI. GAS PRESSURE GUN AND METHOD 0E OPERATING TEE SAME.

No. 429,988. Patented June 10, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND L. ZALINSKI, OF UNITED STATES ARMY, ASSIGNOR TO THE PNEU- MATIC DYNAMITE GUN COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAS-PRESSURE GUN AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 429,988, dated J' une 10, 1890.

Application filed May 6, 1884. Renewed May 14, 1890. Serial No. 351,733. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND L. ZALINSKI, lieutenant f artillery, United States Army, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Pressure Guns and Methods of Operating the Same, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to gas-pressure guns to for throwing projectiles and 'other missiles, and to methods for developing pressure by combustion in a receiver outside the bore of the gun.

` The invention consists, first, in producing i 5 a pressure within a closed vessel by burning therein or in a chamber connected therewith gun'powder or other rapidly-burning combustible, and afterward admitting the same into the barrel of a gun behind the projectile zo to be thrown; second, in producing a predetermined pressure within a closed vessel by burning therein or in a chamber connected therewith, gunpowder or other rapidly-burning combustible, and when such predeter- 2 5 mined pressure is attained admitting the same into the barrel of a gun behind the projectile, and, third, in interposing a cooling medium between the developing-chamber and the barrel.

3o In order that others may understand and practice my invention, I will proceed to describe the same in connection with an apparatus for the projection of shells containing dynamite or other explosives, although said 3 5 apparatus is equally applicable to the projection of other missiles.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a gun, storage-ask, developing-chamber, and intermediate cooler. Fig. 2 is a lon- 4o gitudinal section of a developing-chamber with a cartridge-holder attached. Fig. 3 is a similar section of a developing-chamber with a series of cartridge-holders. elevation of Fig. 3.

A indicates the gun, of any usual construction, for gas-pressure or pneumatic cannon. B is the gas-ask therefor, which may be provided with a pressure-gage and safetyvalve, as usual.

5o C is the iniiow-pipe to the gas-ask. This Fig. ltis an end pipe will preferably pass in the form of a coil througha water-chamber D, so that the surplus heat may be extracted from anygas passing through the pipe.

E indicates the developing-chamber, which is a strong receiveigas of steel, capable of enduring several thousand. pounds internal pressure. This chamber should also have a pressure-gage and safety-valve. A reducing valve at e and a cut-olf valve at f will per- 6o mit the regulation of the pressure in flask B to a predetermined amount, no matter how high the pressure may rise in chamber E. The chamber E has one, two, or more projecting bosses or cartridge-seats F, which are '65 internally screw-threaded, and are preferably provided with stop-cocks G.

H H indicate strong steel or similar metallic cartridge-cases. These cartridge-cases are screw-threaded at one end, so as to be se- 7o cured firmly into the bosses F.

The interior of cartridge-cases H can be allowed to communicate with the interior of chamber E, when the cartridge-cases are screwed home and the cocks G are opened. By closing the cocks, however, communication between the cartridge-cases and the adjacent chamber is cut off. The cartridgecases are preferably cylindrical, with an eX- ternal screw-thread at the open end. 8o

Each cartridge-case is to be lled with a slow-burning cartridge of rocket composition, slow-burning picrate composition, or other equivalent composition, which evolves a large quantity of fixed gas. The cartridge-cases are of small interior diameter, and the composition is iirmly pressed into them, so as to secure slow combustion.

At the mouth of each cartridge-case, when screwed home in its seat, there is an appara- 9o tus for igniting the cartridge, which may be a nipple or fuse, or an insulated wire n, connected with a battery o, so that the composition in the cartridge-case may be ignited when desired.

When there are several cartridge-cases for one developing-chamber, asin Figs. 3 and-1, one or more may be removed and replaced at any time without disturbing the others.

The operation of the device is as follows: roo

The parts being supposed to be connected after the manner indicated in Fig. 1, a cartridge of powder or other combustible is placed in one of the cases H and ignited. The

gas developed by the combustion enters the chamber E, and through aconnecting-pipe to the gas-flask B, which may be regulated by the reducing-valve e whenever the pressure in said chamber rises above that determined as the proper pressure for the iask B, or whenever the pressure in said flask falls below the desired point. The gasin its passage from the developing-chamber may be cooled by passing through the coil in tank D; or the coil, and also the iiask B, may be dispensed with, the principle of operation being the same whether the cooling be resorted to or not, or whether the gas be drawn direct from the developing-chamber.

The cartridges packed for transportation can be quickly supplied, and whenever the pressure in the developing-chamber E is reduced it may be raised by the combustion of a new cartridge.

' The gas from the iiask B or developingchamber Eis admitted to the gun for discharging the projectile through a valve in a manner usual in pneumatic cannon.

ln this application I have claimed my method of operation of my invention, and described in connection therewith an apparatus by which such method may be practiced, and in another application, Serial No. 197,370, tiled April 1, 1886, l have described and claimed such apparatus with modifications, the invention being presented in separate applications in accordance with the rules of practice made and provided.

Therefore, whatl claim, and desire to herein secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The improvement in the art of gunnery, which consists in generating a gaseous pressure within a chamber closed with respect to the barrel of the gun and independent of the gun by burning therein or in a chamber connected therewith gunpowder or other rapidlyburning combustible, and then admitting the same into the barrel of the gun at the rear of the projectile, whereby the same is eX- pelled from the barrel.

2. The improvement inthe art of gunnery, which consists in generatinga gaseous pressure within a chamber closed with respect to the barrel of the gun and independent of the gun by the combustion of a removable cartridge in a separate communicating-chamber, and then admitting the gas to the barrel of the gun under a predetermined pressure.

3. The improvement in the art of gunnery, which consists in generating a gaseous pressure within a chamber closed with respect to the barrel of the gun by burning gunpowder or other rapidly-burning combustible, and then passing said gas through a cooling medium before admitting the same to the barrel of the gun.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND L. ZALINSKI. 1Witnesses:

NV. A. BARTLETT, E. L. WHITE. 

